Grow green: Growing an indoor herb garden

Wednesday

Sep 15, 2010 at 12:01 AMSep 15, 2010 at 3:16 PM

Adding a few pots of basil to your windowsill or tucking oregano into a sunny spot in the kitchen is a great way to guarantee yourself a ready supply of seasonings at a lower price than store-bought bunches. You can’t get more locally grown than your own kitchen, and a few indoor plants can do their part to improve your indoor air quality.

Allecia Vermillion

Adding a few pots of basil to your windowsill or tucking oregano into a sunny spot in the kitchen is a great way to guarantee yourself a ready supply of seasonings at a lower price than store-bought bunches. You can’t get more locally grown than your own kitchen, and a few indoor plants can do their part to improve your indoor air quality.

Basil: Once you have a ready supply of this favorite, you’ll be amazed how many recipes call for its fragrant green leaves. Basil needs more water than most other herbs.

Oregano: Transplant a cutting from an outdoor plant into a pot and flavor your pasta sauces year-round.

Mint: This flavorful herb can take over in a garden, but easily grows by itself in a pot.

Parsley: Give it a sunny windowsill and watch this hardy kitchen staple thrive.

Rosemary: Strong and fragrant, this herb can grow all year in a sunny spot. Don’t overwater it.

Tips for planting

Plant seedlings in small pots or transplant a root clump from your garden. You can plant herbs individually or cluster a group in a large, shallow pot. Make sure to place a dish underneath to collect drainage.

Herbs generally need lots of water, but not so much that it pools at the bottom of the container. Water plants only when the top soil feels dry.

Use nutrient-rich potting soil — preferably an organic one — to anchor your seeds or root clusters firmly in the pot.

The best spot for indoor herbs is a window with southern exposure, but any spot that gets ample sunlight will do.

During the winter, combat dry indoor air by moistening plants with a spray bottle filled with water.